Connect Care Goals of Care Designation Definitions

Connect Care Goals of Care Designation (GCD) orders are matched to definitions adopted in the province of Alberta. 

R = Medical Care and Interventions, Including Resuscitation

Goals of Care directed at cure or control of a patient’s condition. The patient would desire ICU care if it was required, and would benefit from ICU if their medical condition warranted it.

R1 = Medical Care including ICU admission if required, with intubation and chest compressions

Patient is expected to benefit from, and is accepting of, any appropriate investigations and interventions that the health system can offer, including physiological support in an ICU setting if required. All appropriate supportive therapies are offered, including intubation. Chest compressions and intubation are performed during a resuscitative effort when clinically indicated. 

R1 Guide

Goals of care are directed at cure or control of a patient’s condition. Treatment of illness may include transfer to an acute or tertiary care facility with admission to the ICU if indicated. Intubation or chest compression may be provided.

R2 = Medical Care including ICU admission if required, with intubation but without chest compressions

Patient is expected to benefit from, and is accepting of, any appropriate investigations and interventions that the health system can offer, including physiological support in an ICU setting if required, but excluding chest compressions. 

R2 Guide

Goals of care are directed at cure or control of a patient’s condition. Treatment of illness may include transfer to an acute or tertiary care facility with admission to the ICU if required. Intubation can be considered when indicated but chest compressions are not performed.

R3 = Medical Care including ICU admission if required, without intubation or chest compressions

Patient is expected to benefit from, and is accepting of, any appropriate investigations and interventions that the health system can offer, including physiological support in an ICU setting if required, but excluding intubation and chest compressions. 

R3 Guide

Goals of care are directed at cure or control of a patient’s condition. Treatment of illness may include transfer to an acute or tertiary care facility with admission to the ICU if required, but chest compressions or intubation should not be performed.

M = Medical Care and Interventions, Excluding Resuscitation

Goals of care directed at cure or control of a patient’s condition. These patients either choose to not receive care in an ICU or would not benefit from ICU care.

M1 = Medical care with transfer to Acute care when required and without the option for life-saving ICU care

Directed at cure or control in any location of care, without accessing a tertiary level ICU. Treatment of illness may include transfer to an acute or tertiary care facility. All active medical and surgical interventions aimed at cure and control of conditions are considered, within the bounds of what is clinically indicated, and excluding the option of admission to a tertiary level ICU for life-saving interventions. If a person deteriorates further and is no longer amenable to cure or control interventions, the goals of care designation should be changed to focus on comfort primarily.

M1 Guide

The goals of care are aimed at cure or control in any location of care, without accessing a tertiary level ICU. Treatment of illness may include transfer to an acute or tertiary care facility without admission to a tertiary level ICU.

M2 = Medical care without transfer to Acute care and without the option for life-saving ICU care

Directed at cure or control, almost always within the patient’s current care environment, without transfer to acute or tertiary care. All interventions that can be offered in the current non-hospital location of care are considered. If a person deteriorates further and is no longer amenable to cure or control interventions in that location, the goals of care designation should be changed to focus on comfort primarily.

M2 Guide

The goals of care are aimed at cure or control, almost always within the patient’s current care environment. Treatment of illness may be undertaken in the current location without transfer to acute or tertiary care should that condition deteriorate.

C = Medical Care and Interventions, Focused on Comfort

Goals of care directed at symptom control rather than at cure or control of a patient’s underlying condition that is expected to result in death. All interventions are for symptom relief.

C1 = Symptom Comfort Care

Directed at maximal symptom control and maintenance of function, rather than cure or control of the underlying condition. A diagnosis exists which is expected to cause eventual death. New illnesses are not generally treated unless control of symptoms is the goal. Treatment of intercurrent illness can be contemplated only after careful discussion with the Patient about specific short term goals. Transfer to another location of care is not usually undertaken, but can be contemplated if symptom management or diagnostic efforts aimed at understanding symptoms can best be undertaken at that other location.

C1 Guide

Goals of care are for maximal symptom control and maintenance of function, without cure or control of the underlying condition. A diagnosis exists which is expected to cause eventual death.

C2 = Imminently Dying

Goals of care are aimed at preparation for imminent death (usually within hours or days), with maximal efforts directed at symptom control. Expert terminal care can be provided in any location. Transfer to another site is usually not undertaken due to risk of death during transport.

C2 Guide

Goals of care are aimed at preparation for imminent death (usually within hours or days), with maximal efforts directed at symptom control.